nowing Hebrew, Chaldee, and even some Arabic. With these men he sent two
Indians, one from among those he had brought from Guanahani and another a
native of the houses by the river-side. He gave them strings of beads
with which to buy food if they should be in need, and ordered them to
return in six days. He gave them specimens of spices, to see if any were
to be found. Their instructions were to ask for the king of that land,
and they were told what to say on the part of the Sovereigns of Castile,
how they had sent the Admiral with letters and a present, to inquire
after his health and establish friendship, favoring him in what he might
desire from them. They were to collect information respecting certain
provinces, ports, and rivers of which the Admiral had notice, and to
ascertain their distances from where he was.

This night the Admiral took an altitude with a quadrant, and found that
the distance from the equinoctial line was 42 degrees.[137-1] He says
that, by his reckoning, he finds that he has gone over 1142 leagues from
the island of Hierro.[137-2] He still believes that he has reached the
mainland.

_Saturday, 3rd of November_

In the morning the Admiral got into the boat, and, as the river is like a
great lake at the mouth, forming a very excellent port, very deep, and
clear of rocks, with a good beach for careening ships, and plenty of
fuel, he explored it until he came to fresh water at a distance of two
leagues from the mouth. He ascended a small mountain to obtain a view of
the surrounding country, but could see nothing, owing to the dense
foliage of the trees, which were very fresh and odoriferous, so that he
felt no doubt that there were aromatic herbs among them. He said that all
he saw was so beautiful that his eyes could never tire of gazing upon
such loveliness, nor his ears of listening to the songs of birds. That
day many canoes came to the ships, to barter with cotton threads and
with the nets in which they sleep, called _hamacas_.

_Sunday, 4th of November_

At sunrise the Admiral again went away in the boat, and landed to hunt
the birds he had seen the day before. After a time, Martin Alonso Pinzon
came to him with two pieces of cinnamon, and said that a Portuguese, who
was one of his crew, had seen an Indian carrying two very large bundles
of it; but he had not bartered for it, because of the penalty imposed by
the Admiral on any one who bartered. He further said that this Indian
car